every person has a story

25 posts categorized "Dominique's Updates"

February 17, 2010

I saw this on a friend's Facebook and I really liked it as a reflection for Lent. So I am posting it here as a reflection:

Andrew

is remembering that Jesus wept at the tomb of His friend, even knowing what He knew about resurrections, both immediate and eschatological. I have a dirty forehead today, and it helps me remember that God is not content with the dust being our only future. I'm thankful that He is relentless in His zeal to mend, through Christ, a deathly world.

October 06, 2009

The Philippines was hit with a devastating Typhoon. The blessing that rose up were people working together-- Here is a glimpse of a church that began to take donations immediately and within 2-4 days distributed 33,000 bags of food to the families who had been drastically affected by the flood.

I believe this is a glimpse of what Jesus meant by greater things will we do-- together.

June 24, 2009

(above, two of our hosts-- one named Angel who goes and helps people in the streets leave that life...the other Carlos, who had lived in the street for three years before Angel found him years ago-- now Carlos also works to help others in the streets, and is an incredibly talented painter...they were so very gracious to us...)

It turns out, that yesterday-- here in Manila it was "Manila Day" and something like "Dia de San Juan"-- which means two things--- the children do not have school, and "san juan" signifying "John the Baptist" also means that children may be running through the streets throwing water at each other. This was how it was in Pasay, a place of little houses made of tin-- stacked several stories high, with little streets as wide as a person weaving through hundreds of homes for thousands of people--- and out on the main road--- taxi's, tricycles, jeepneys, and cars go by and the children run in between throwing water on one another and even us (if they got a chance) for the holiday. We watched as they ran after one another, throwing water in little plastic bags or some carried water in larger containers. It made me smile.

We had been in the area-- hidden amongst the curved little streets through the houses and sari sari stores, at a meeting for micro-finance for women. At least twenty women gathered, leaving their flip flops and humble shoes at the door, for an encouraging message about Moses taking the Hebrews out of oppression--- some even teared up a bit at the story--we were told and later we would come and join the women and they would smile welcomingly (is that a word?). I will say that their gracious, resilient strength was evident--- how they persevere in the face of extreme urban poverty, how they have their little businesses in the streets, or markets, or even going door to door, how they take care of their children and husbands and friends at the same time--- so much makes a very beautiful kind strength..and we sat in their midst the other morning...learning names, and hearing their stories.

We were also there because CCT, a micro-finance institution here in the Philippines which has given loans to over 197,000 families, educated children, rebuilt houses, and taken in hundreds of street dwellers was taking us to some of their different meetings--- but even these meetings of women coming to be encouraged together and to pay back their loans in weekly installments is just one meeting out of hundreds that are going on.

We also went to one location where they allow 80 street dwellers to live and regain strength in their lives. They welcomed us as if we were official guests-- our main host and facilitator himself had lived in the streets for three years and encouraged us to ask questions of the entire group that they gathered to welcome us. So we asked about their stories and different people came forward to share in their own language. Sometimes our host would translate and at other times he would laugh and say we understood by the spirit and guessing and for the people not to worry. We heard about men who wanted their lives to end, men who had killed other men, people who had robbed, women who had been prostitutes... One woman, the first woman who had come forward-- shared about her life in the street, being a prostitute for years, and how she now has a husband who is also homeless and a son, named Jonas. She knits little cellphone carrying cases which she constantly does and her husband weaves rugs and welcome mats... she can not tell us enough how God came and changed her life, how CCT has helped--- giving them a place to live, advise for skills, believing in them--- and then out of nowhere she says in her story of Tagalog to us--- I want to sing a song for you... and she begins to sing in English like a little bird to God, contained-- humble, until her own song makes her cry about how he has protected her, how he has given her songs of deliverance. She looks at us when she is finished and thanks us for coming to see them all and returns to where she sat on the steps, knitting by her husband.

Before I was leaving she would come to show me her son, Jonas-- I ask to take a picture of them-- she doesn't smile fully because she is missing most of her teeth-- but her smile, well I think it glows. What can we do? I say goodbye to her and her son, feeling such a friendship. (Even though the son was soo so very shy! Haha.) Another boy who has been living on the street but now lives here in this community asks for his picture to be taken too as I am leaving--- and so I stop and take his too and he smiles when he see it.

June 21, 2009

I have returned to the Philippines-- to thoughts of women coming out of sex trafficking and prostitution; to children living in the dump; and to the effects of the climate on the poorest of the poor (more on all of that one day..)

But I would just love to share with you a glimpse from Children's Day in Mozambique-- a world holiday that America doesn't have in which Children are celebrated and honored. For the past three years, I have been in Mozambique on this holiday and have had the joy of bringing food to the children in the street, or crayons and coloring books to children in the village (this year with Sarah Olds in Matola)... With that said, though, as we were driving this year to the village-- I was noting to Sarah that perhaps in her weekly visits to the children something could be done as well for the mothers who gather as well when she is there-- who watch with curiosity in the language barrier gap. Doing something for the mothers would mean bringing an interpreter since their strongest language is the tribal one and not Portuguese. I imagine that initial sitting down with them weekly and hearing their troubles and joys will go a long way... and perhaps will lead to the long road of development and poverty alleviation in their lives? Perhaps.

So on Children's Day -- the mothers gathered as well with their children. They too wanted the flip flops we brought and hoped there would be some left for them. They waited to see-- with tentative hope--- and there was! They waited to see if their were cokes, and lolipops and cake for them too and there was! They were as excited as the children. When it came time to play some games--- we would play musical chairs rounds for the children.... and then for some of the mothers... other games with the children and mothers... and races for the children...two by two...and then the mothers. It was a light time, considering the hardships and death that had happened the previous weeks in this village...that day, Childrens Day (with the mothers!) was a light time... call it even, joy.

One mother in particular so compelled me-- she was so very pregnant and looked like she could give birth at any moment! I am including videos of her playing, doing musical chairs and... yes even racing... with a smile on her face. I look forward to seeing her again when I return in August to the children... to the women.

June 18, 2009

Today we went to check-in on Emilton, one of the boys we have taken back to his family. He is doing so well!! Morgan Collins, who goes to The Vine UMC, has sponsored Emilton's reintegration. She had sent a package for him with a few card games and some candy. So I delivered the package to him today and got to teach him how to play the games. There was one game called Blink that was so funny to watch as he was learning. Its a game where speed is the key to winning. His aunt was watching us play and just laughing the whole time!!! Thanks Morgan for sending that package for Emilton....he told me to tell you thank you for everything.

Reintegration is a huge part of what we do at Masana. Our heart is to see the boys ready to leave life on the street and return to their families. Since January, we have taken 9 boys back home. For each boy that goes home, we meet with the family members, register him for school, buy him clothes, school supplies, a uniform for school, and other things he made need at home. For the older youth, we help them start up a small business. And with one boy we have had to help him build a small house as his grandparents live in a small hut that only has space for 2. If you are interested in sponsoring one of the boys as we reunite him with his family, please email me at theunveiledfaces@gmail.com

June 13, 2009

Yesterday, we went to check in on 4 of the boys we have taken back to their families in the last few months. The first boy, Fazinda, lives in Maniça about an hour and a half from Maputo. We stopped along the way and bought 6 large sheets of tin for the construction of his house. Then we headed to Castigo's house which was over an hour from there. We got a little lost trying to find his house and a neighbor in his village had to get in the car with us and direct us to the right house! This was our first visit to Castigo and Fazinda since they had gone home so we took each of them a suitcase full of blankets and clothes. We'll return to their houses again in August to help them start up a small business. Next, we drove to Xai-Xai. I was determined that I wasn't going to backtrack an hour to the main road just to go back in the same direction. I knew there had to be a more direct route . . . and there was but it was mostly dirt roads. So the shortcut didn't really save us any time. But we made it to Xai-Xai where we visited 2 boys, Antonio and Leonel. Antonio was having some problems with the village chief about registering as a resident so we went to his house and spoke with his wife and got it all sorted out. Then it was off to Leonel's house. . . sadly at this point it was already after 3:00 and we still had more than a 3 hour drive back to Maputo so we did not stay long.

All of the boys are doing well with their families! Leonel is the only one in school right now and he is making good grades. In January, when the new school year begins, we'll help the other boys get registered for schools in their communities. Antonio's small business of selling cokes on the beach near his house had failed but he surprised us with the news that he has gotten a job at a little shop near his house! I put together small gifts to take to each of the families - a plastic tub with some basic food items. And thanks to my brother, we were able to take a soccer ball to each of the boys...which was their favorite part of our visit!!!

May 31, 2009

Monday night I went to dinner with some friends. As we left the restaurant, one of my friends, Dominique, commented on some strange noise my car was making. My car is always making some new strange noise so I didn't think to much about it. Tuesday night, I was driving home with Dominique after our children's day celebration in Matola and the car was doing really strange things. A chapa (minibus) behind me started flashing his lights at me. About that time I felt what I thought was a tire blow. I pulled off the road and as I did, Dominique looked out her window and said "the tire fell off." All of the lug-nuts were gone and the tire had fallen off!

As we got out of the car, the chapa driver pulled up behind me and told me he was trying to tell me i was fishtailing. Thankfully there were a couple of guys standing right beside where the tire fell off. They very graciously volunteered to put the tire back on. We removed the lug-nuts from the spare tire and the guys got to work. It took quite a while because when I pulled off the road, only the front tires made it over the curb before the tire fell off. I do like to provide a challenge for the guys coming to my rescue! They were very kind though and even went and got chairs for Dominique and I to sit in while we waited.

Still have no idea what happened to my lug-nuts. Stolen? Fell off? A combination of both? T.I.M. (This Is Mozambique)!!

June 1st is a holiday here in Mozambique honoring children. The festivities surrounding the day are similar to Christmas - presents and a big dinner! At Masana, we had 27 street boys come to the party. We had a big lunch with chicken (that we killed ourselves!!), potatoes, salad, rice, cokes and chocolate cake. Each of the boys received a gift bag as well full of candy, playing cards, a winter hat, and a pair of flip flops. It was such a fun day!!!

The flip flops that each of the boys received had a lot of significance. Over the past months, God has continued to teach me about the prodigal son. With each boy we have reintegrated, I've felt like I was watching this parable live. A couple of months ago, we reintegrated a boy named Emilton. You can read Emilton's story here. After this, the Lord really began speaking to me about the significance of the shoes given to the son upon his return home. Everyone who was a member of the family would have worn shoes...only servants went barefoot. So for children's day, each of the boys received a pair of flip flops. Luis and I did a teaching on the prodigal son and talked about the flip flops symbolizing their position as sons of God. My heart for the boys at Masana is that they would truly know their identity as a son of God.

I want to thank everyone at Sanctuary Baptist Church for your gracious giving. The boys were so blessed!!!